Calculating device



Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES KANE Y. KoNNo, or cIIIcAGo,ILLINOIS VcALcIrLvArINe DEVIE 'l Application led' .Tune 1,2,

l: serving with equal facility for the operations of multiplication anddivision as for those of addition andsubtraction.

A further object of the invention is to augment the abacus withk anapparatusy of movable ribbons to receive data by inscription, thusfurnishing renewalsurfaces for a new problem once the old one has beensolved.

A still further-object of the invention is i5 to provide means foroffsetting the partial products in multiplication by making one of theribbon units shiftable.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the actions of analyzingand selecting 53@ values in the abacus byk imparting shading or 'colorto groups of counters, common jto such values.

A signiicant object of the invention is tol w provide the same with asimple, mechanically shifting decimal point indicator, in order to adaptthe decimalpoint to a"posi-,

tion most convenient for a given problem.

A final, and importantjobject of the in- Vention is toy incorporate myimprovement 3@ in a simple structure of light material,

whereby the cost of the device may be main` tained at a low ligure. Y

With the above objects in view and any others that may suggestthemselves in the 35 specilication and claims'to follow, a betterunderstanding of the invention may be gained by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which- Y 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of thecalculating 4@ device; andv Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are respectively,sections on the lines 2-2, 3 3, and 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5v denotes the frame, 6 thedividing barzand'? t the counters of a typical abacus calculator.

While calculators of this type have been used since time immemorial andare more popular in the Oriental countries, it may be mentioned at thistime that the counters are divided into two groups, one eachA side ofthe192s." serial No. 284,749.

PATE-NT OFFICE dividing bar 6. Thus, the single group shown above thedividing bar is in a series of multiple progression by the constant l0,in bothdirections from a given decimal point 8, such as 5, 50, 500,etc., in one direction' and .5, .05, etc., in the other direction, asshown. While this row of counters deals with the numeral '5 and itsmultiples, the counters onv the lower side of the dividing bar 6dealvvith themultiples of the number 1. Consider-v ing the positionV ofthe decimal point 8 in thev drawing, Va few notations have also beeninr` dicated to show the values of the lower counters, such as avertical row of l value,the next row of 10 value, the next row of 100value, and soon, withincreasing values and conversely in the oppositedirection from the decimal point with decreasing values.

Since theV abacus calculator is operated with speed by those who areexperiencedin its use, I'have found it of especial value to incorporatetherein means whereby to accomplish multiplication and division. Thosefamiliar with Vdevices for simplifying these methods by `*mechanicalmeans know that multiplication involvesA addition; and that divisioninvolves subtraction. Thus, if ya means is provided in conjunction withan abacus calculator whereby to distinguishand record such steps theabacus may be used with great facility'to bring forth the result.

*In carrying lout the above analysis, I pro-- vide as an attachment, aframe extension 9 laterally of the abacus calculator and adjoining thelsingle series of counters.V The eXtension forms a base for a paper rollkP105 from which a ribbon of paper is extendedl longitudinally. Over theribbon 10a isa lid Il, spring hinged -at 12, such'lid being perforatedwith a number of openings 13 regis-k tering with the rows ofcounters 7The lid l 11 has ya small knob 14 fora finger hold to` swing'baclrthelid in case any difiiculty is presentedin theslidifng of the ribbon 10a.

the right hand end, according Vtol Figure l, f

and the used portion torn away, leaving a fresh length for theinscription of the desired number of the next problem. Next alongsidethe arrangement just described, is a similar one in which the ribbon maybe denoted by the numeral 15 and the roll by the numeral 16. The base 17for this arrangement, however, isnot stationary as inthe previous case,but is mounted to slide on the ezgtensionVw frame 9, and be guided by arod l8'near the extremity of the extensionframe.- Thebasel 17 hasdepending ears 17 a slidably mounted on the rod 18, as indicated moreclearly inA Figure 2, this relation retaining the slidable frame inalinement with the abacus array The V slidable' base 17 is equipped witha; handle 19` vfor the actuation ofthesame, and its@A movement isintended to be in steps corresponding to thesuccession of digitsinvolvedj In orderfthat these steps may be determined, I provide theextension frame 9 with aseries of depressions 20 into any of which abarb 21 carried by the slidable base 17 may fall, as clearlyshown inFigure 3, In order to facilitate the .transfer of the barbs from onedepression to the other, I make the approach to each depression fromeither side inclined, as indicated at 22, so that in the movement oftheslidable frame the barb 21, mayireadily drop into a given depressionand may be transferred therefrom without diliiculty.v The changingposition-s ofthe slidable baseowingto the operation ofthe barb 2L asdescribedfwill be permitted" bythe pivotal relation of the base to thestationary 1 8, so that no difhculty will beexperienced in .producingthe shifting movements from one point t-o another.

lWhen a problem of multiplication is to be'.

. solved, the ribbon 15 is inscribed withthe multiplicand andthe ribbon10a with the multiplier. Starting with the right-hand end of each ofthese numbers the process isto multiplymentally4 the first or extremerighthand digit of the multiplier by the first and succeeding digits ofthe multiplicand.v Thus, the product of the first' singlenniltiplicationy would probably be a number of two digits such as 63, 49or the like, andthis number is recorded in the first tworows of theabacus: proper, thedecimal point being ignored for the moment.v Theproduct of the first multiplier digit by the second multiplicand digitwould be a similar number of two digits which is recorded in the abacusby adding the' first digit in to the value of the secomd row ofcounters,and recording the second .new digit directly in the third row.- Thisprocess continues until all the digits of the multiplicand have beenmultiplied by the first i digit of the multiplier, so that'the abacus isnow-.arranged in a series of condensed preliminary products.

The process must now be repeated by the use. of the second digit1 of thel multiplier .as

incase? against all the digits of the multiplicand; but a move must bemade, this being to shift the multiplicand bodily by moving the slidablebase 17 one point to the left. This move registers the rst digit of themultiplicand with the second row of the abacus as a source or. origin.The multiplicationof f the second multiplierdigit with the, digitsoffthe multinow enuses as before, but each step is of course read intothe abacus, so that while thefirst'row-l-ofl the abacus remains set andunchanged, all the succeeding rows have secure'dtnew'values. The processjust outlined isrepeatedfuntil the multiplier is exhausted, at whichtime' the" resulting condition of the abacusrspellsfthe, product or.result of' the problem.v It isthus seen that the only writingV necessaryfor; the problemvof multiplicationn was Athatv offv in scribing. themultiplier and V5493423 y i The stepsoffthe above method are (1) thatone must carr-y figures. while working outA each preliminary product, inorder to saveexcessiyewriting (2) that effortand facilities are.I 4 Iuecessary to: write the preliminary and naL productsyand that, thevpreliminary products arel arranged .inlstepped relation,

beingv consecutiyely moved the space ofv onev di g it. In my process thec'arrying and writing are not' utilized,.the working-out of the firstpreliminary ,productbeingv as follows;

g '7 VFirst digxt'of multiplierV 3` 7 4' 4 Not noted second step 5 3 4V9 Multiplicaud 2 Secondidgit of multiplier shifted-once; y

8 Added intov 6 abacus 1 o` e 9 s`f Nq's'nted Thir'qstep f 5 3 4 9Multlplie'and` 1 Fo'urth digit-of multiplier shifted twice, 'due tozerolin 9 vthemultiplier 3er Addedinw' 5; abacus inallproduct 64 9' 3412 3' Aggregateir'eading in abacus ory division, y theribbon V15 isinscribed 306 M La 0 The above problem is laid out on my calculator thusDiviser 1 5 3 Inscribed well to the left on ribbon 15.

Trial quotient i 6 Inscribed on ribbon 10a.

Dividend 9 3 7 5 8 4 Recorded in abacus.

The trial-quotient is now multiplied by the consecutive digits of thedivisor, and the product shifted and subtracted each time into theabacus, thus First step 15?s 19,584 Reading on abacus at end of rststep. Second step The divisor (153) is now shifted one point to theright, thus:

Diviser 153 Quotient 6 Remainder of dividend 19584 The divisor is thentried into the dividend remainder, thus:

and the process repeated as before.

For ordinary or simple use, a much shorter embodiment of the calculatorthan shown necessary to secure a quotient to an infinite extent, such asthe'familiar pi-3.14159.

which is a good reason for giving the Working section of the ribbon'lOaa considerable length. f v I For-the purpose of the decimal point, andthe commas 23 ordinarily used to separate the hundreds .in long numbers,I

find it of benefit to equip the dividing bar 6 with a slide 24. Thisslide is preferably dovetailedwinto the dividingy bar as indicated inFigures 2 and/1, and its ends are received inthe yend piecesv of theframe 5,

these being perforated asindicated at 5a for.`

this purpose and also to permit the passage of the end portions of theslide when the lat-` 'if ter is shifted. The slide thushasia longshifting range and the decimal point may, therefore, bepositioned at anypoint between two rows of counters that maysuit a particularl probleminvolving decimal points. Thus, in the case of a multiplication problem,the decimalpoints in the multiplier and multiplicand may be' ignoredduring the working of the problem as inthe case of arithmeticalmultiplication; however, when the problem is ber of steps-representingthe sum of the decimals/in -the [multiplier kand multiplicand,-

l finished the decimal may beshifted a numn again as is done inarithmetical multiplica-f l tion,` in order to ascertain the number ofdeci,- mals in the product. In the .case of division, the decimalindicator is used in accordance with the -f established rules relatingto decimals. For facility in operation, I provide y' the slide 24 with asmall `finger knob or screw 24a coincident with the decimal point.

It is thus seen that I have provided a compactlapparatus whereby theterms of problems Vin multiplication and division maybe setl andtheproblems solved rapidly by those familiar with the use of the timehonoredl abacus, saving the need of writing many numbers,vand'holdingnumbers over as in the case of ordinary multiplication or division. Forfacility in operating the abacus, the same may be shaded or colored ingroups as indicated so that one may more easily find a selected valuewhich is common to a certain group, avoiding the selection of the value'in a row which may not belong to the proper group. lAlso, itwillbenoted' that the lower series in. the improved abacus havebeenreduced from the customary five to four for the reason that the`equivalent can vbe produced without the need of the bottom series; Forexample, 4 plus 1 will be represented by the upper counter 5, withoutthe need of moving a iifth'counter to :the-'first four lower counters inorder to make five; or, in the case of 9 plus 1, instead of having thearray of theshifted upper counter'with the five shifted lowercounters,fthe counters in my case,`

lis

iso

mental addition .materialized by shitingfrthe,y

y `val11e in thenextfrow.-

crease ,theeost of the device unreasonablyv 65,; said frame land pivotedonsaidrod, and a spurf v In conclusion, jitr'willlV be apparent` that myaddition to the abacus is both simple inconstruction and in operation,and does not; in-

when the benefits of the improvement are considered;v c

Iclaimzl Y K y L1?. Thecombinati'onfwith an abacusformed. withlaterally-spacedirows of. counters ofeanY entryfribbon carried .by theabacus, saidf rib.-

bon sheet extending ina lateral direction, andV means'spacing the entryribbon od int-o divi-Y sions registeringwith;` the rows'. f

2. The structure of claim 1, said entry ribf bon being shiftable in alateral course.

3. The structure of claim l, said entry rib.- bon beingvshiftable in alateral course, and

` means tov divide. the shifting movement into stepsspaced as the rows.

4. The structure of claim l, and a Jurtlier entry ribbon in parallelismto the first-meuf tioned one and longitudinally-shiftableY rela-- Ktive-thereto. f

5,; The combination with an abacus formed with laterally-spaced rowsofcounters; of

entry ribbons carried by the abacus for. the.V

original numbers of abacus problems, vsaid entry ribbons extending in alateral direction, means for spacingthe Ventryuibbons off' intodivisions ortbe digits of said numbers, such divisions registering withsaid counter rows, supports for the maintenance of the ribbons in;substantially flat position, andV supply rolls from which the ribbonsmay-be drawn'as required.. i i

6. The struct-ure ofclai'm 5, said means comprising lids carried-by thesupports to cover the ribbonsv and perforated to define said divisions.Y

7. The structure of claim 5, said means comprising lids carriedV byl thesupports.

to cover the ribbons and perforated to definesaid divisions andspringfhingedconnections of the lids with the supports to keeep the lidsin contact with the ribbons. f

formed with laterally-spaced rowsv said depressions as the slide ismoved.'Y

9. A The combinationwith an abacus formed withlaterally-spaced rows ofcounters; of an. entrysheet frame extended from the abacus and formedrwith a lateral'series of depresisions spaced. as the counter rows, a rodcarried by the frame in parallelism `with the depression series,an entrysheet slide associated with carri'edfzbyl the slide' and adaptedftodropginto saidfde-pressions as the slide-ismoved.

10. The structure of claim 5, one of saidI` supports being slidableinto'steps spaced as.-

thecoun'ter rows.

In testimony-whereof I aflixv my. signature.

' KANE Y. ONNO.

